episode_0010

“Father, there is definitely a hidden force behind all of this…!”

The frail man sitting on the throne did not flinch even at the sight of the woman spitting out her words.

“So.”

“Yes…?”

“So what does that mean?”

The mad cultists are trying to start a crusade on their own, and it might be their turn next.

If we are to stop them, now is the time, and it is also the right moment to confront them.

Because if they find any means at all, everything might become irreversible.

“How, how.”

“….?”

The woman, upon hearing the answer, let out her words with a look of despair.

Under the dazzling lights, her brightly adorned pink hair caught the eye.

“Can you betray the kindness of our divine parent in this way…?”

The girl remembers.

In a place filled with the mockery and malice of the evil gods, she recalls the strange figures targeting her.

It was a fleeting moment.

In the chaos of everyone preparing for battle.

One of the assassins of the evil gods rushed in, looking for an opening right before her eyes.

“Die.”

The swiftly approaching figure of death.

A glinting blade, eyes filled with malice, a fate that made her forget to even breathe.

She, the princess of a nation. If not for someone’s assistance that day, she would have been cold and lifeless.

Since that day.

Princess Aicela Carseine swore to embrace the divine.

For him, she would willingly give up the throne.

‘Oh, divine parent, please.’

In despair, she prayed earnestly.

To fulfill the promise made that day, she was ready to do anything.

#

We were moving for quite a while under the guidance of the royal knights.

The location was inside the carriage.

While sitting comfortably and moving, I caught eyes with Vera, who was fidgeting nervously.

With an expression that seemed to hold back something she wanted to say, I spoke first.

“Do you have something you want to say?”

“….! Ah, no.”

Upon hearing that, Vera quickly lowered her gaze and fumbled.

I’ve seen it many times, but I still can’t get used to this scenery.

The ultra-beautiful girl was glancing at me, giving off a vibe that she wanted to win my favor somehow.

‘I’ve made it big.’

A life that has been upgraded several steps to the point of feeling sorry for comparing it to an ordinary life.

If this world had instant food and smartphones, it would be paradise, but now it seems I can overcome even that.

‘I will live for myself.’

My ambitions are still not over.

Once I manage the situation to some extent, I will dive back into expanding my influence and recruiting super beauties.

That was the romance of the game I used to play, ‘Ragnarok.’

“Ah, right.”

“Y-yes…?”

“Before coming to you, I saw Lisia.”

At the familiar name that slipped from my lips, Belladis’s expression stiffened for a moment.

“Lisia… are you talking about her?”

“Yes. Just before you all came here, I almost fell victim to the priests of the Black Sun.”

“….!”

A subtle expression reveals animosity.

If I hadn’t been there, it seemed like she would have turned the carriage around to wage a crusade against the Black Sun again.

“It’s fine now. I took care of it myself.”

Though reassured by those words, her expression still didn’t soften.

As a fellow believer, it felt truly admirable that she seemed worried about Lisia.

‘The divine power seal was an accident.’

At that time, I was also shocked by the penalty that had befallen Lisia.

If the timing hadn’t been so fortunate, I would have almost seen Lisia cold and lifeless.

“D-Did the Lord perhaps…”

“Hmm?”

“Did you show yourself to Lisia as well…?”

Myself? I didn’t show up.

I was too busy assisting in a hurry at that time.

“….Huh.”

Hearing my answer, Vera let out a sigh of relief.

Her reaction was still inscrutable.

Then, as if realizing something, she opened her mouth again.

“When you arrive at the kingdom, I will do my best to ensure the Lord’s safety.”

Her fingers were still fidgeting.

With deer-like eyelashes, her subtly colored red eyes scanned me.

“Huh? Is that really necessary?”

Even if she is strong, I would be stronger.

“Absolutely.”

However, Beladis was very resolute after hearing Lisia’s story.

I had no choice but to nod in agreement.

“If you say so, there must be some meaning behind it.”

“….”

After that, a brief, stiff silence settled in.

Over there, everyone was focused on me, and I gradually spoke less under that atmosphere.

I thought I would have a lot to say when we finally met, but I never expected to be at a loss for words like this.

‘This won’t do.’

With that thought, I spoke to Vera.

“Vera.”

“Yes, yes. Oh, Divine Lord.”

“While I was away, did you manage well?”

‘Ah.’

This idiot.

In trying to break the ice, I stepped on a landmine right from the start.

Did those kids manage well while I was gone?

They were preparing for a holy war, after all.

“I-I was preparing with utmost care so that I could welcome the Lord at any time.”

However, Vera gave a commendable answer.

But that wasn’t the kind of answer I was hoping for.

“Really?”

“…It’s true.”

“Really? You didn’t find it difficult at all?”

As I asked again, it seemed she had made some kind of resolution.

On the contrary, Belladis did not avoid my gaze and maintained a composed posture.

‘So this is how it is.’

I had reached out to break down the wall between us, but she stepped back instead.

Well, that naturally made me stubborn as well.

“Then, what.”

“….?”

“If you had said it was a bit difficult, I would have felt sorry and wanted to give you a gift.”

At those words, Vera’s expression hardened in an instant.

“You really didn’t find it difficult?”

“Ah, no.”

“Good. I’m glad it was okay.”

“You gave me…”

Watching Vera’s expression turn increasingly sorrowful, I asked once more.

“Was it a bit difficult without me?”

“….”

“You can be a little honest.”

Vera seemed to be in severe internal conflict.

It should be easy to just say it, but why is it so hard for me?

We were good together.

We had interacted continuously without missing a beat in the game.

“…Gold.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“A little, just a little. It was hard. It was only a little hard enough that you really don’t need to worry about it.”

She spoke timidly like a child confessing a mistake, and I almost burst out laughing.

“I see.”

I said that and brought my hand to Vera’s head.

“…Hik.”

After taking a short breath, her delicate eyelids fluttered shut.

She seemed to think I was just petting her head, but I decided to return what I had received earlier.

‘Are you okay?’

It should be fine.

It’s not the same body as before; it’s a remade flesh as a gift.

“….?”

Vera, who had been obediently moving her head at my guidance, soon settled onto my thigh.

“Ah?”

“Let’s take a break for a moment, just like this.”

“….”

She must have gone through quite a bit trying to deal with the black sun, so it’s necessary to take a rest like this.

I can ask about the gift later.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I looked at Vera, who never lifted her head.

I gathered her scattered beautiful hair and gently stroked it.

-Swish. Swish.

Inside the carriage, the atmosphere was much softer and more comfortable than before.

#

I took advantage of the relaxed atmosphere to think for a moment.

The kingdom, the Regarium Kingdom.

This is the first country I am visiting with this body, and it’s an important stage where I need to imprint my new appearance.

Why? Because it will make it easier to travel around the country in the future.

‘Or maybe not.’

If my face becomes too well-known, could it actually create restrictions?

Perhaps covering my face might be helpful.

‘Just so happens, there’s something good in the storage.’

I recalled the stealth items that were sleeping in the storage tab.

Since I’ve possessed this body, I should live doing what I want.

If I’m just locked up doing work, what could be more unfair than that?

And for that purpose.

“The king of Regarium must be doing well.”

“…Yes.”

The answer came from below.

I continued to stroke Vera’s hair, feeling the softness with my fingers.

In terms of the game, this is the first national force that players encounter, essentially a tutorial area with reliable NPC allies.

However, if you underestimate this faction just because it’s your first encounter, you might quickly face the reality of your own faction being wiped out.

You must treat them kindly when you act kindly.

—

Damn, I got screwed while robbing the national treasury in real-time

(Photo of the pursuing kingdom knights)

-I have six stars above my head, does that mean I’m screwed? They’re still chasing me;;

┗LOL, you idiot. You can’t escape that.

┗Just accept it. How dare you look down on the Kingdom of Regarium?

┗Damn, this is serious.

Listen up, you idiot from the previous post.

-That won’t be resolved until the world resets, so either leave the borders or quit the game.

┗Of course, if you leave the borders, you’ll be eaten by other constellations, good luck LOL.

┗What the hell does that mean?

—

Back when I was a player, I reset my faction many times while trying to freely rob the treasury.

The king’s vault, filled with all kinds of treasures.

How can I endure this?

But I had to endure.

The anger of an entire kingdom for the sake of desire cannot be easily washed away.

That’s why I had already stitched my head together and started building goodwill with the Kingdom of Regarium.

And the result is now.

-Guuuuuuuuung…!

As the massive gate made of magical engineering opened, pollen scattered from all directions.

The sight was so precious that I found myself staring at it in a trance.

“Vera, do you see that?”

I wanted to show it to her too, but there was no response.

It seemed she was deeply asleep.

‘But did a vampire sleep?’

I set aside such trivial thoughts for a moment.

The carriage I boarded continued to move forward with our knights.

Passing through the grand streets that were familiar yet unfamiliar as they transformed into reality.

Finally, we reached the massive palace where the king resided.

The carriage stopped only after advancing deep into the royal palace.

“…..”

At that moment, Vera, who had been resting her head on my knee, naturally lifted her head.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, ah. I slept well… Your thighs are so comfortable and warm…”

As I got off with the stammering Vera, Baltar and the knights welcomed us.

“From here on, I will guide you personally.”

“In that case.”

I decided to obediently follow his guidance.

But before that.

“What about our children?”

“I have prepared a place for them to wait during the move, so you don’t need to worry.”

Really?

Since it was arranged directly by the royal family, the facilities should be decent.

Just as I was about to move without a thought.

“You’re not planning to present the Lord to your king in this state, are you?”

However, this time it was Vera who sharply pointed it out.

‘Ah.’

Only then did I become acutely aware of my own condition.

My clothes were soaked with blood.

The clothing sacrificed for the performance was embarrassingly revealing, barely covering my skin.

Thanks to that, I looked worse than a beggar in the neighborhood.

“May I take Vera here as my attendant and prepare for a brief audience with the king?”

When I politely asked, the captain of the knights, Baltar, fell into thought for a moment.

However, before long, realizing how pitiful I looked, he quickly agreed.

He arranged a huge room equipped with a bathroom for me.

I would just need to wash up quickly and change into new clothes.

“Vera, please wait a moment.”

Leaving Vera, who couldn’t take her eyes off the bathroom for a while, I leisurely enjoyed the bath.

After a short while.

Feeling refreshed, I took out some clothes from the storage and headed back outside.

“…May I dry your hair…?”

“Would you do that for me?”

Saying that, I entrusted my head to Vera, who carefully brought a towel.

Hmm, it felt much more refreshing than before. My mood brightened.

It was during this brief moment of relaxation.

-Princess! It’s dangerous…!

From beyond the room I was in, loud noises began to echo.

“….?”

-Get out of the way.

-B-but…!

-If you don’t move now, I will punish you severely.

Through the slightly opened door, a beautiful woman with a rare hair color appeared.

She looked at me with a face full of excitement.